Breaking Resume Myths: Limiting to One Page May Limit Your Potential

December 26, 2018

Writing a resume is a delicate balance. When it comes to how long yours should actually be, you’ve probably heard the “one-page” rule. However, it’s not necessarily true and can actually wind up hurting your job search if you stick to it. Here’s why:

You cram too much information in.

If you’re desperately trying to stick to one-page during the resume writing process, chances are, your margins are going to be too narrow and fonts too small. As a result, hiring managers aren’t going to read your resume. They’re busy and need to be able to quickly and easily scan each one. If they require a magnifying glass to read yours, they’re likely going to skip it.

You leave out vital information.

In an effort to pare down your resume to a page, you could be leaving out critical information; the kinds of details that would distinguish you from other candidates. That’s why you shouldn’t be solely focused on length. Instead, concentrate on highlighting what’s important and most relevant for the hiring manager to know about you. You might still need to edit; however, you have a lot more flexibility with two pages instead of one.

It makes you look inexperienced.

Hiring managers expect experienced professionals to have a resume that’s more than one page. They also expect it to be polished and professional, with plenty of white space and proper formatting. So if your resume is jam-packed and messy-looking on a single page, it’s not going to reflect well on you or your background.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. For instance, if you just launched your career or only have a couple of years of experience, your resume should be one-page long. Anything more than that will make you look presumptuous, or like you’re unwilling or unable to edit. Stick to a single page and use appropriate margins and a font size that’s reasonably easy to read. That means one-inch margins and at least an 11-point font. Hiring managers will notice and thank you for it.

Writing a compelling resume takes a lot of work. On top of content, you need to think about other details, like length. If you’d like professional help and advice with the process, turn to the experienced resume writers at ResumeSpice. Whether you need some quick feedback or a total overhaul, we can help. To learn more, call us today at 832.930.7378.